MAMMALS SORICINAE SOREX PACHYURUS. 



21 



Color above, light olive brown, becoming much darker on the rump ; beneath, ashy white, with a tinge of brownish ; 

 sides of a tint of brown paler than that on top of the head. Head and body, 2 inches. Tail to end of hairs, 1$. 



The body of this species appears unusually stout and full, owing to the length of the fur, 

 which exceeds that of any American species with which I am acquainted, measuring on the 

 hack, 5 lines. Its large feet and claws, and very thick tail, are also highly characteristic. 



The ears are of moderate size, the concha short, scarcely more than a line high, not coming 

 far round the meatus, and much shorter than the fur. It is scantily coated with hair on the 

 margin of the internal face, and with longer ones on the edges of the supplementary lobes. 



The feet are unusually large and broad ; the palms as broad, or a little broader than the soles ; 

 both are naked, and on the edges of the latter there is a slight indication of ciliation. The fore 

 feet are larger in proportion than the hinder, being contained but one and a half times in them. 

 The claws, too, are larger than usual, and about as long on the fore as on the hind feet. 



The tail appears very thick, as much so as that of Mus musculus. It is about seven-ninths 

 as long as the head and body, (measured to the tip of the hairs,) and is well coated with long, 

 stiff, bristly, appressed hairs, which conceal the annuli, and terminate in a decided pencil at 

 the end. 



The upper parts are of a smoky olive brown anteriorly, becoming considerably darker towards 

 the tail. The sides are of a lighter tint of the same brown as that on the top of the head, with 

 a slight tinge of chestnut. The under parts are of a dull reddish brownish white. The color 

 of the sides is in a broad stripe, quite clearly defined against that of the back and belly. The 

 tail is like the back, and tipped with dusky ; its under surface and the feet pale brownish, or 

 brownish white. Claws bright yellow. 



The skull is slender anteriorly, though the muzzle is stouter than in &. navigator. The 

 dental formula is -^ -J- ~ -\- ~. The anterior upper incisor is bidentate, the posterior lobe or 

 hook nearly as large as the anterior, and coming down nearly to the line with it and the next 

 teeth ; it is about the size of the third lateral tooth. The five lateral teeth overlap each other, 

 and diminish gradually and regularly from the first to the fifth, which is rather larger than 

 usual, and visible from the side. There are three very decided lobed serrations on the lower 

 anterior incisor. All the teeth are chestnut at the tips. 



Measurements. 



